BCDA Official in Hot Water: Faces Charges for Falsifying Completion of ICT Centre
The Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) is embroiled in a corruption scandal as one of its own, Mr. Suleiman Austin Adavize, faces charges in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) brought forth a three-count charge against Adavize, a civil servant within BCDA, accusing him of signing off on an incomplete contract.
The charges, particularly one under Section 70 (1)(b) of the Public Enterprise Regulatory, allege that Adavize made a false statement in a progress report, claiming that the construction of an ICT Centre in Gumel Local Government Area, Jigawa State, was 100% complete in September 2021, while it was not.
Adavize, an architect, pleaded not guilty to the charges during the arraignment before Justice Peter Kekemeke.
His defence counsel, AG Osayande, applied for bail, citing the defendant’s right to freedom.
The ICPC’s counsel, Eno Ighodaro-Yahaya, did not object to the bail application, leading to Justice Kekemeke granting Adavize bail in the sum of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000.00) and specifying conditions for the surety.
The case, scheduled for hearing on February 22nd, 2024, stems from a petition received by the ICPC in July 2022.
The complaint highlighted discrepancies in an ICT Centre project in Gumel, revealing that the BCDA handed over a building with minimal computer equipment despite certifying the project as complete.
This incident echoes the ICPC’s earlier findings through its Constituency and Executive Tracking Initiative, exposing instances where supposedly completed projects did not meet the criteria upon closer inspection.
Source: Vanguard
